Shackle-seal



1. L. DINSMOOR.

SHACKLE SEAL.

Patented '1161). 22, 1921.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.27. 1920.

@51g MA @Mame/1g l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

JOHN L. DINSMOOR, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ANCHOR CAP & CLOSU'RE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.v

SHACKLE-SEAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jon-N L. DINsMoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Shackle-Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shackle seals of the type commonly designated snap seals.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a' seal of this description. which possesses the elements of security necessary in a device of this type, and which may be manufactured at minimum cost and applied with a simple operation which does not require the use of a tool.

More specifically stated, the objects of this invention include the provision of a seal which may be made up entirely from light sheet-metal by punching and folding operations.

Another cf such objects contemplates the provision of aV seal of the sort specified which may be folded out of sheet-metal in such fashion that the locking members whereby the seal is closed are entirely protected from tampering, and the seal presents no exterior seams or joints which might be opened to disengage and rengage the locking meinbers.

A further object contemplates the provision of a seal which may be formed out of sheet-metal and wherein the folding together of the keeper and shackle members provides an inclosure for the interengaging locking members, and the engagement of said locking members retains all of the parts against unfolding.

Described generally, the invention contemplates the provision of a keeper member and a shackle member. Both of these articles may be formed out of very light sheet-metal by folding and punching operations, the keeper being folded to form a substantially rectangular housing open at opposite ends, and the terminal folds of the metal forming the walls being overlapped.` The shackle is formed of a straight strip of sheet-metal or the like of proper width to it accurately in the keeper. Adjacent its respective extremities the shackle is provided with locking members adapted for interengagement when the seal is assembled and applied, ef-

"fective to prevent the parts being discon- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 19.21.

AppIication led January 27, 1920. Y Serial No. 354,867.

nected. In the assembling ofthe device the shackle is threaded through the keeper twice, being folded about Vthe overlapped foldsof the latter, thereby binding them toe gether and effectively Vcovering the external margin of the metal to prevent its being tampered with. This form of assembly disposes certain of the locking members on the shackle within the housing, and incloses Ythem from access from the ends of the housfully by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which one embodiment thereof is shown for the purpose of illustration. It will be understood, ofcourse, that various advantageous modifications and adaptations may be made in the structure illustrated and now about to be described without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention involved. Y

In the said drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the keeper.

Fig. 2 a fragmentary perspective view of the shackle;

Fig. 3 an enlarged longitudinal section through the shackle and keeper in their assembled relationship before the attachment or locking of the seal;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the device taken through the assembled keeper and shackle showing the relationship of parts when the seal is closed and'locked; and

Fig. 5 is a plan or top view of the assembled keeper and shackle illustrating the form in which the device is supplied to the user.

Referring to these drawings indetail by means of the reference characters applied, let` it be understood that the character A designates generally the keeper, andthe character B designates generally the shackle.

The keeper is formed from light ductile` being overlapped and vli'orming one of thev broad sides of the housing. rlhis housing is preferably or1 uniform interior dimensions throughout and is of proper height to receive accurately three Yfolds or thicknesses oi the material of which the shackle is made. The shackle is also formed out of light ductile material such as sheet-metal and may be made at a single punching operation. lt is of proper widthl to :lit accurately in the longitudinal pathway of the keeper and is `formed with a plurality of locking members adapted for interengagement, and the spacial relationship of which important and will be pointed out hereinafter. Adjacent what .l will call its inner extremity, the shackle is formed with an up* struck resilient tongue or locking member 2, adjacent which is formed an aperture 4 through the material, constituting another locking member. it a suitable distance l'r'om the extremity of the strip the material may be scored transversely as at 5 to form a bending line.r thereby determining the length of the terminal fold X oi the shackle. This terminal fold preferably substantially Vthe same lei'igth as the keeper. Spaced apart from the line of fold 5 by a distance slightly in excess of the length of the shackle is a second scoring 6, which, vtogether with the line oit fold 5, determine the limits ot the covering fold Y of the shackle; spaced inwardly from the line ot fold 6 rthe strip is provided with a second aperture 7 which constitutes another locking member and `which is disposed in what l will term the inner fold Z oi the shackle. The por tion of the shackle comprising the folds X,

Y and Z, which `form the original means for attachment of the shackle to thekeeper as hereinafter described., l will designate as the binding portion. Adjacent its other eX- tremity tl e shackle is provided with a locke Y ing member, illustrated as a downwardly struck resilient projection S, and inwardly of the strip trom said projection with, a similar locking member 9. rlfliese locking members are adapted for interengagement with the locking members 4 and 7 when the device is in assembled form. The members 8 and 9 are formed in the strip within a distance less than the length of the keeper, and at a proper distance from the outer eX- treinity of the shackle the meta-l may be upstruik to provide detecting members 10.

In the original assembly of the device the terminal fold X et the shackle is slid into thekceper, the projection 2 being directed away from the overlapped foldedy portions l and l. The strip is then folded about 4lies the terminal fold X.

said overlapped portions so that the covering iold overlies the told l on the eX- terior of the keeper. Tliestrip is then'inf serted through the keeper again from the opposite end so that the inner 'fold Z overrlhis disposes the parts in the relationship illustrated in Fig. 3. wherein the locking member 2 engages in theaperture 7 and prevents the unfolding of the binding portion of the shackle from around the overiapping port-ions of the keeper. rlhis forms the article shown in lig. 5, in which the keeper and shackle are iermanently assembled. f

l.Then the seal is applied as by the shackle being passed through a suitable attaching` device in the customary fashion, the free end dl is returned and inserted intermediate Vthe inner 'fold Z and the terminal fold X. When the free end is slid into position its inward movement is limited by the upslanding engagii'ig member 2, and when the resilient lockine' members 8 and 9 pass the inner margine oi' the locking members ali'orded by apertures 7 and respectively, haring been compressed between the overlying folds ot metal as the shackle end is slipped into place, they again spring outwardly by virtue of their resiliency. andengage through the said apertures. The resiliency of thc terminal Jfold tends to press itinto engagement with the ente ing end ot the shackle, and thereby contributes to the certainty of engagement ot the locking members. Retraction upon the im ried portion of 'the shackle will then definitely engage the said locking members S 9 over the metal at the i argins of the apertures 'T and 4, thus positively securing the shackle against withdrawal.

fis aisembled in this condition it will be observed that all of the Jfolds of both the ke\p'cr and the sliac.- .re securely and positively retained in pl; t llllitlidra val olf the inner Jold Z is positively prevented by the engagementthereoif with the locking member S and the engagement oi' locking men ber 2 with tie end portion ot told lV. lll/lith drawal of terminal `liold X is positivelypre vented by the engagement oi: locking memlber 9 therewith and the engagemei'it of lockthe end of the keeper is prevented by the enveloping folds ci the shackle. j

As is obvious from Fig. 4, the spacing of locking member 2 and the aperture 4 in told X bears a relationship `to the spacing of locking member 9 4to the free end of the shackle, the spacing being such as to permit the engagement of locking member 9 i through aperture 4 When the extremity of the shackle is engaged by locking member 2. LikewiseI the spacing of aperture 7 relative to locking member 2 bears a relationship with the spacing of locking member 8 relative to the end of the shackle, the relationship being such as to permit the engagement of locking member 8 in aperture 7 when the end of the shackle is in engagement with locking member 2. This devicel provides such a small, compact and neat sealing device as to preclude its being successfully tampered with or opened and replaced without showing evidences ofthe fact, both by virtue of the fact that all locking parts and closing seams are effectively covered and protected, and because of the fact that it affords no parts upon Which a purchase may be obtained to manipulate it illegally. It is obvious that because of the small amount and inexpensive quality of material required in the construction of the device, as well as the few numbers and simplicity of the necessary operations involved, that it may be manufactured at very low cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A seal comprising a keeper formed of sheet material folded to form a housing with open ends and overlapping side portions, and a shackle inserted through the housing and having a binding portion folded about the overlapping wall portions thereof; said binding portion being provided with interengageable locking ortions arranged for disposal within the ousing whereby the binding portion is locked in folded relationship.

2. A seal comprising a keeper formed of sheet material folded to form a housing with open ends and overlapping Wall portions, and a shackle including locking members disposable Within the `housing and interlocked portions folded about the overlapping wall portions andY protecting the locking members in the housing from access from the ends thereof.

3. A seal comprising a housing open at opposite ends and a shackle extending through said housing and including locking members arranged for disposal within the housing; said shackle having a binding portion folded about a part of the housing and interlocked to permit withdrawal and a portion covering the locking members in the Vhousing to protect them against access from the end thereof.

4. A seal comprising a keeper in the form of a housing, and a shackle having a binding portion encompassing the housing and interlocked, said shackle having its terminal portions disposed Within the housing; said terminal portions being provided with interengaging locking members. n

5. seal `comprising a keeper in the form of a housing and a shackle having portions folded about a part of the keeper and overlapping within the keeper, said overlapping portions being provided with locking members, and said shackle including an end portion insertible between saidV overlapping portions for coperation with the locking members thereon.

6. A seal comprising-a keeper in the form of a housing and a shackle including a binding portion folded about a portionV movement out of the housing in either direc-` tion.

v 7 A seal comprising a keeper shaped as a A housing with open ends and a shackle hav.- ing a binding portion encompassing a portion of said housing anda free end insertible into Vthe housing, said shackle including locking members engageable within the housing effectively to retain the binding portion andfree end against movement out of either end of the keeper.

8. A seal comprising a keeper formed of sheet material folded to form a housing with overlapping portions, a shackle havinr a binding portion folded about the overljapping portions to secure and cover the edges thereof and locking portions arranged for effective engagement to hold the binding portion against unfolding.

9. A seal comprising a keeper shaped to provide a housing, and a shackle having a part folded to encompass a wall of the keeper longitudinally, said folded part in-i 

